A Long Island University (LIU) basketball fan section has experienced a surge in popularity. What started as an effort by two college basketball fans to find a team to support has transformed into a viral sensation, known as ‘The Reef’.
The Birth of ‘The Reef’
David Pochapin and Cameron Koffman, along with friend Ian Lipman, visited a ‘Battle of Brooklyn’ game between St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers and Long Island University Sharks on January 16, 2023. Pochapin and Koffman were on a mission to find a team in the Five Boroughs, having already visited Columbia, Fordham, and Manhattan. Despite an official attendance of 400, the friends believed the crowd was smaller and the environment was not great.
Pochapin noted the venue, the Steinberg Wellness Center, smelled of chlorine because the Sharks play directly above a swimming pool. Despite Long Island losing that game, Pochapin and Koffman saw potential and decided to become the fan section for the school.
Koffman said they felt particularly close to the team at LIU, even more so than at Manhattan or Wagner. They began inviting friends and family to every game, establishing traditions and giving their courtside section the name ‘The Reef’.
Traditions and Growth
The gym became known as ‘the Shark Tank’. Pochapin and Koffman donated slogan-adorned T-shirts as promotions for some games. A hallmark tradition emerged during free throws, with Pochapin yelling ‘FINS UP,’ and fans clapping their hands above their heads.
As ‘The Reef’ grew, the Sharks’ performance improved. Rod Strickland, the former NBA guard, is the head coach and has improved the team’s record each season. He went from 3-26 to 7-22, then 17-16, and now 24-10, achieving one of the best home records in the country.
Viral Moment and Championship
After Long Island beat Chicago State in the NEC quarterfinals on March 4, a video of marching band director Spence Howell leading the ‘fins up’ motion gained over a million views on X. More fans flocked to the Reef for the semifinals. The Sharks clinched their NCAA tournament berth because Mercyhurst, the league’s other finalist, was ineligible.
More than 1,500 fans attended to see Long Island win the NEC championship. When the Sharks shot free throws, nearly every fan put their fins up.
The moment was surreal for Pochapin and Koffman.